Acrylic Painting: Nature and Self
July 10 - 13
9am - 3:30pm
Instructor: Lori Goldberg
Max Enrollment: 12
In this 4 day intensive painting workshop we will be exploring the language of painting through traditional and experimental approaches. There are two journeys that we will be exploring simultaneously; the building of techniques and systems to better understand how to compose, begin and finish a painting and how to connect to your own visual intelligence to help bring self expression and imagination into your paintings. Learn up to 20 different techniques and applications of this versatile medium, from glazing to impasto. Record the world around you by direct observation of line, form, and color temperature. By weaving these explorations together, authentic and genuine paintings can begin to come forth. Still life, landscape and imagination will be used for inspiration. Instructor will be giving demos and directed exercises and self exploration will be encouraged. During this course you will:
1. Gain better handling of brush and paint
2. Developed knowledge up to 20 different techniques using acrylic paint
3. Develop a better understanding of the affects of light and shadow
4. Gain a basic understanding about composition
5. Learn basic color theory
6. Develop a painting from thumbnail sketch to finish painting
8. Learn how to trust your imagination
9. Learn about painting in the studio and painting outdoors, differences and similarities
10. Learn how to read a painting and critique constructively
Day1
AM
Paint Exploration
- What is acrylic paint? Historical reference.
- Equipment and material overview.
- Explore different ways of using acrylic paint to get different affects
- From watercolor to tempera to oil painting.
- Experimental with collage, fumato, scribing, addition of additives such as sand or sawdust, mixed media, oil pastels, imprinting, up to 20 different techniques. These techniques will be integrated into a painting, starting with under painting techniques to thick application.
Criteria:
Some part of every technique preserved throughout the creative process.
PM
Painting activity - Building a visual vocabulary
Value - Quick value scale in sketchbook. From white to black. Creating a 9 step value scale.
Find a shape found from a shadow created by some object outside in nature. Create a composition of one simple repeated abstract shape. Using a ten step value scale, create a pattern rendering each shape with different values
Day 2
AM
Basic color theory
- Color wheel and tints, shades and compliments.
- Self expression using color,
- Emotions may be used or different music to elicit a response.
- Drawing into painting
PM
- Each student brings in an object found in nature and sets up a still life.
- Develop skills in correct observation. Thumbnail sketch, value study, scaled onto canvas and then painted.
Day 3
AM and PM
- Sketching and recording nature out doors and bringing back the sketch to the studio to paint.
- Find a place outside that is of interest. Record in sketchbook using colored pencils, felt pens or watercolor paint.
- Back in studio create a painting based on the sketch, interpreting and using imagination.Day 4
AM
- Awareness to ones own creativity and imagination.
- Creative process or better put - Playtime!!
- Room of ones own
Imagine a room or place that you would go to that is a special place. It could be a room of your own, or it could be in nature or even an imaginary place. With your eyes still closed take your pencil and with a continuous line record this place and all its wonder. Everything that is going on in this special place gets recorded; including sounds smells tastes and actions. E.g. If a bird flies by you draw the flying of the bird and the bird. If the wind is blowing you draw the wind blowing, if there is music you draw what the music sounds like. No symbols or words.
- Group discussionPM-Plein air painting
-Guided technique
- Painting outdoors (if weather permits)
- Blocking in color and building form, from underpainting into middletones and then highlights and details.Course Materials
Where to shop: I suggest Opus Frames, but I am not too sure what art stores are available in your area.
Paints - ( preferably artists quality) 150 ml. tube
This is a guide line. You may interchange the colors.
Titanium white
Hansa yellow middle
Pthalo-cerulean blue
Cobalt blue dp (hue)
Quinacridone red (cool red)
Azo red middle (warm red)
ivory black
Acrylic medium (mat or gloss)
Retarder ( helps keep paints wet longer)
Brushes: Please choose brushes that are shaped well & also in a variety of size and types.
Min.: one large round
One flat
One round for detail
One large flat one for filling in large areas
There are natural bristle brushes and synthetic brushes. They both should be explored. Long handle brushes are used for easel painting, but you can also interchange with short handle brushesPalette
There are throw away paper palettes, or any white non porous surface. Please do not use watercolor or plexiglass palettes.
Palette knife
2b pencil
eraser
sharpener/ x - knife
sketchbook
roll of masking tape 1”
rags
2 sheets of 150 lb print paper 22 x 30 or equivalent
one big canvas
one small canvas 8 x 12 or equivalentoptional materials:
other colors
oil pastels or wax crayons
charcoal
sponges
other type of rigid surfaces to paint on. Just make sure they are primed with gesso
gel medium, or any other mediumLori Goldberg is a Vancouver Artist and educator. Her work has been exhibited in Canada, U.S. and Europe. Collectors of her work include the Canada Art Bank, The City of Vancouver Art Collection and the Interstate Bank, San Francisco. Among her commissions are original paintings for Intrawest Resorts in Whistler B.C; Mont. Tremblant PQ; Kauai, Hawaii; and Palm Desert, California. She currently teaches classes at Emily Carr institute of Art and Design, Langara College and in her private studio. 2008 workshops for outside of Vancouver include, Whistler Arts Council, Island Mountain Arts in Wells BC, Prince George University and Hollyhock on Cortes Island. Her work has taken different directions over the course of her development as an artist. Whether in the form of her large abstract expressionist figurative paintings or her painterly still-lifes, Goldberg strives to interweave the ordinary with the extraordinary. Her personal journey is to seek for truth and live her life completely from a place where her paintings are offered as testimony and a marking of that journey.
- Find a place outside that is of interest. Record in sketchbook using colored pencils, felt pens or watercolor paint.
- Back in studio create a painting based on the sketch, interpreting and using imagination.
AM
- Awareness to ones own creativity and imagination.
- Creative process or better put - Playtime!!
- Room of ones own
Imagine a room or place that you would go to that is a special place. It could be a room of your own, or it could be in nature or even an imaginary place. With your eyes still closed take your pencil and with a continuous line record this place and all its wonder. Everything that is going on in this special place gets recorded; including sounds smells tastes and actions. E.g. If a bird flies by you draw the flying of the bird and the bird. If the wind is blowing you draw the wind blowing, if there is music you draw what the music sounds like. No symbols or words.
- Group discussion
-Guided technique
- Painting outdoors (if weather permits)
- Blocking in color and building form, from underpainting into middletones and then highlights and details.
Paints - ( preferably artists quality) 150 ml. tube
This is a guide line. You may interchange the colors.
Titanium white
Hansa yellow middle
Pthalo-cerulean blue
Cobalt blue dp (hue)
Quinacridone red (cool red)
Azo red middle (warm red)
ivory black
Acrylic medium (mat or gloss)
Retarder ( helps keep paints wet longer)
Brushes: Please choose brushes that are shaped well & also in a variety of size and types.
Min.: one large round
One flat
One round for detail
One large flat one for filling in large areas
There are natural bristle brushes and synthetic brushes. They both should be explored. Long handle brushes are used for easel painting, but you can also interchange with short handle brushes
There are throw away paper palettes, or any white non porous surface. Please do not use watercolor or plexiglass palettes.
Palette knife
2b pencil
eraser
sharpener/ x - knife
sketchbook
roll of masking tape 1”
rags
2 sheets of 150 lb print paper 22 x 30 or equivalent
one big canvas
one small canvas 8 x 12 or equivalent
other colors
oil pastels or wax crayons
charcoal
sponges
other type of rigid surfaces to paint on. Just make sure they are primed with gesso
gel medium, or any other medium